Chris Hart Guest at West Brattleboro Association Monthly Meeting

On Thursday, November 14, 6:00-7:30 pm, the West Brattleboro Association (WBA) will hold its monthly meeting at The New England House, 254 Marlboro Road. The Association will have a final wrap-up on the success of their Columbus Day Weekend Chicken Barbecue held Saturday, October 12, in addition to a report of their treasury given by new association treasurer, Tim Cuthbertson.

The group will also have a quick review of the various projects undertaken by the WBA including traffic safety, bulb plantings, signage, police/fire facilities, and the status of the Neighborhoods Project.


Work on 1-91 Bridge Replacement in Brattleboro Leads to I-91 Lane Closures for Next Two Years

MONTPELIER, Vt.—November 8, 2013–

Work is beginning in earnest on a project to replace two existing bridges on I-91 with a single, four-lane structure that will accommodate both northbound and southbound traffic.

The PCL+FIGG Team that is working under contract to the Vermont Agency of Transportation announced today that northbound I-91 traffic will be relocated to one of the lanes on the southbound bridge starting on Tuesday, November 12th and continuing until the existing northbound bridge is demolished. Once the northbound bridge is demolished and the new bridge has been constructed, traffic will be rerouted to the new bridge while the southbound bridge is demolished. Throughout this process, traffic will be reduced to a single lane in each direction on I-91 until completion of the project in the Fall of 2015.


Energy Committee Recognizes Local Green Businesses

The Brattleboro Energy Committee is pleased to announce the three recipients of the 2013 Sustainable Business Awards. The three award winners are Triple T Trucking, Cultural Intrigue, and the Brattleboro Food Co-op. These awards are given annually to Brattleboro-area businesses and nonprofits that are making extraordinary efforts to reduce energy and water use, lower carbon emissions, use renewable fuels, reduce solid waste, promote local food production, and use recycled materials and other environmentally-friendly products.

The awards will be presented at the Tuesday, November 19 Brattleboro Selectboard meeting, beginning at 6:15 pm in the Brattleboro Municipal Center, 230 Main Street.


Brattleboro Skatepark Site Selection Committee Applications Due Nov. 14

The Town of Brattleboro is looking for citizens to serve on the newly formed Skatepark Site Selection Committee. The Committee was formed by the Selectboard on November 5, 2013, and will consist of seven interested citizens. The Recreation & Parks Director will serve as lead staff member to support the Committee and also engage staff from other Town departments as needed.


Small Business Loans Available From Vermont Non-Profit Lender

Community Capital of Vermont is a nonprofit, statewide small business and microenterprise lender. Our loans range in size from $1,000 to $100,000 and can be used for business start-up or growth and expansion. CCVT specializes in providing loans to business owners who lack the collateral or credit history to qualify for traditional bank loans.

Loan proceeds can be used for working capital, equipment or vehicle, inventory, or to refinance debt.


Selectboard Meeting Notes: Skatepark Site Selection Committee, Budget Challenges Ahead

A new Brattleboro Skatepark Site Selection Committee is taking applications. The Brattleboro Selectboard voted Tuesday evening to form the committee at the request of the town skatepark committee, BASIC, but not before ample discussion.

The board announced that Brattleboro faces budget challenges to keep tax increases to a minimum. Expect cuts to services and more discussion of a 1% sales tax as possible solutions being offered.

Brattleboro has new restaurants downtown and in West Brattleboro (with liquor licenses), ALDI opens in January (selling beer and wine), and the town bought a backhoe.

All this in more below the fold.


Brattleboro Veterans’ Day Closings

In observance of Veterans’ Day, all Brattleboro town offices will be closed on Monday, November 11, 2013, with the exception of emergency services.

Parking is free at all metered spaces and in the pay-and-display lots on Sunday and Monday. All other violations, including extended parking, will be enforced.


U.S. Solar Testing Center Launched in Vermont

WILLISTON, Vt., Nov. 4 – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today was joined by Gov. Peter Shumlin and representatives of IBM, Sandia National Laboratories and the U.S. Department of Energy to launch the Vermont Photovoltaic Regional Test Center. The center will research ways to cut the cost of solar power and integrate solar energy into Vermont’s statewide smart grid.

The Regional Test Center is a $3 million project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative, which aims to reduce the cost of solar energy by 75 percent by 2020 and make solar power account for at least 15 percent of America’s electricity generation by 2030.


Brattleboro Selectboard Agenda and Notes – November 5, 2013

Safer town roads in Brattleboro will be a major focus of the next regular Brattleboro Selectboard meeting. A traffic calming plan is up for adoption, the intersection at Western Ave will get some attention, and the Safe Streets program will get a small grant.

The board will again take up the issue of the request to reduce the size and scope of the skatepark, and will decide whether to discharge a $150,000 lien between BaBB and the Town for the River Garden. There will be liquor licenses, loans, and grants to deal with, and we’ll get an update on the soon-to-be-ending search for a new Town Manager.

Watch on BCTV or attend in person and participate. You can bring up items that aren’t on the agenda during public participation.


Dark Hallowe’en On Cedar Street

This year’s hallowe’en celebration was our darkest ever — at a little before 6 o’clock, some heard a bang, others saw a flash, and then, lights out.  Meanwhile, the street filled with cars and kids, out for hallowe’en treats, most of them hardly noticing that the reason our street was so spooky was that no one had power.  

We decorated the front hall with candles (safely stowed in holders) and an old storm lantern that nicely showed off the giant spider shadows on the back wall.  Meanwhile, hundreds of kids made their way through the gloom and rain, with glowing pumpkins and lighted walking sticks to guide their way.  


Building a Better Brattleboro Membership Meeting – Thursday, November 7, 2013

Building a Better Brattleboro will hold a meeting of its membership on Thursday, November 7, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden. BaBB will present its FY 2015 work plan and budget. Following the presentation the membership will vote on whether to approve the budget in accordance with Chapter 15 of Brattleboro’s Code of Ordinances.

BaBB’s membership, as well as the public, is encouraged to attend.

Building a Better Brattleboro
babb@sover.net


Elliot Street Fire Relief Fund Established

Just when the weather is getting pretty cold, . The Elliot Street Fire Fund has been established at TD Bank to help these folks.

While emergency relief agencies have seen to their immediate survival needs, there are also needs that won’t be filled because of limits to those agencies work programs and resources. Click the story title, above, for details.


Encouraging Smart Commuting: Energy Committee Works With Local Businesses to Promote Alternative Transportation

Alternative transportation can be a tough sell in a rural state like Vermont, where residents often have to travel long distances to get to work and shopping. Brattleboro’s main streets are often choked with traffic, creating headaches for motorists along with air pollution that can cause health problems.

The Brattleboro Energy Committee has been working for several years to address this issue. In 2010, the Committee organized the Brattleboro Business Transportation Roundtable, made up of representatives from Brattleboro-area businesses and institutions such as the Brattleboro Retreat, Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Windham Southeast Supervisory Union, and Landmark College. The Roundtable has been working to promote alternative commuting such as biking, walking, carpooling, and taking the bus among its employees through programs such as the Way To Go Commuter Challenge.


Windham Region Organizations Testify to 2 Million Dollars in Immediate Needs Due To VY Closure

VERNON – On Monday October 28th, the Vermont House Commerce and House Natural Resources and Energy Committees held a joint hearing in Windham County to hear about community and economic impacts expected from the date certain closure of Vermont Yankee.

The Windham Regional Commission (WRC), Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC), southeastern Vermont’s regional development corporation, and the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) testified about the need for full decommissioning, urgent economic development needs, and the plans they have developed to meet those needs, in the Windham Region. All three organizations are poised to work on the rebuilding of the Windham regional economy in the face of the loss of jobs, payroll and business activity resulting from the closure. The regional organizations estimate their immediate mitigation financial needs at 2.3 million dollars.